Vacuum-operated mechanism



my s 1924. l,500,9@75

J. B. WHITTED VACUUM OPERATED MECHANISM Original Filed Jan. 9. 1922 2 Sheets-Sheet` l gnou/Hoz july 8, 1924. 1,500,975

J. B. WHITTED l VACUUM OPERATED MECANISM original' Filed Jan. 9. 1922 h 2 sheds-sheer z gwuenltoz stema .is ls, 1324.

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espuma mea January a, 192s, serial no. senate. aenewea'y sri/.1'.

To all whom t may camera:

Be it known that I, JOHN'B. Wm'rran, a citizen of the United States, residing at Roland Park, in the city of Baltimore and State of Maryland, have invented a new and useful Vacuum-Operated Mechanism, of which the following is a specication.

This invention relates to a vacuum operated engine for `driving pumps and other mechanisms.

@ne of the objects of the invent-ion is to improve upon the valve construction of the engine whereby uttering of the valves durin the action of the engine is prevented an said valves are held tightly in either of two extreme positions until'shifted by the action of the master piston.

A further object is to provide means whereby the shifting of the valves from one extreme position to the other is eected abruptly.

A further object is to combine with the engine a vacuum ump utilizing high and low pressure cylin ers whereby its efclency is increased to the maximum. i

With the foregoing and other objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention resides in the combination and arrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafter described and claimed, it being understood that, within the scope of what is claimed, changes in the precise embodiment of the invention shown can be made without departing from the spirit of the invention.

n the accom anying drawings the preferred form o the invention has been shown.

n'said drawings- Figure 1 is a plan view of the vacuum engine, the cover eing removed and apump being combined therewith.

Figure 2 is a longitudinal section through the engine, the cover thereon and the pump.

Figure 3 is a section on line 3 3, Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a section on line 4 4, Figure 2.

. Figure 5 is a ction on line 5 5," Figure 2.

asf 0n lin@ 6 6,

. f it will be placed under Figure 7 is a pers ctve view of one of the double valves an itsymounting.

Referring to the figures by characters of reference 1 designates the cylinder of the engine and mounted for reciprocation there- 1n is a master piston 2 secured to an intermediate portionI of a rod 3 adapted to reciprocate wlthin openings 4 inthe heads 5 of the cylinder. To the free ends of the rod are connected pump pistons 6 and 7 respectively, the piston 6 'being designed to work within a low pressure cylinder 8 extending beyond one of the heads 5 while the small piston 7 is adapted to reciprocate within a high pressurecylinder 9 extending from the other head. The inner end of each of these ylinders is open. Theouter end of cylin- Ver 8 is provided with ahead 10 in which estanca 'os are located an outlet port 11 and an inlet port 12. A ball valve 13 is normally seated by gravity in the port '12 so as to o en automatically when air is drawn into t e cylinder 8 but to close when the air in the cylinder is placed under compression. Another ball valve 14 is seated by gravity in the port 11 so as to open during the compression stroke of the piston 6 and close duringthe suction stroke. Port 12 opens into the external atmosphere when its valve 13 lis unseated while port A`11 opens into a pipe 15 which extends to the inlet port 16 in the head 17 at the outer end of the cylinder 9. A ball valve 18 is seated by gravity in the port 16 so as to close during the compression stroke of piston 7 and open during the suction stroke thereof. An outlet port 19 is formed in the head 17 and has a ball valve 20 normally seated by gravity therein so as to close during the suction stroke of piston 7 and open during the compression stroke thereof. This port 19 communicates with a fiexible tube 21 used for conducting air to the vehicle tire or other structure in which air is to be compressed,

From the foregoing it will be apparent that when the master piston 2 is moved in one direction air will be sucked into the low pressure cylinder 8 byiston 6. When the master piston is movedpin the o o site direction the airin cylinder 8 wi forced through pipe 15 into the cylinder'9 where ion as pia ton 7 is moved away om the vhead 17. During the next stroke of the master piston 2 the piston 7 will expel the air 'om the high pressure cylinder 9 through thetube 21.

The master piston 2 is to be .operated by vacuum. A port 22 is formed in one head ofthe c linder `1 Vand another port 23 1s Acorrespon ly located inthe other head of said cylinder. The two ports are connected by a pipe 24 in communication with a pipe 25 adapted to be connected to. a tank or other structure containing a partlal vacuum. Pivotally mounted on the inner side of each head 5 is a forked lever 26 which straddles the rod 3 and carries a valve for controlling the adjacent port. One of these valves has been shown at 27 while the other has been indicated at 28. An arm 29 1s extended from each of the levers 26 and works freely through an inlet port 30 or 31 formed in the respective heads 5. One of these arms has a valve is provided with a valve 33, the. two valves bein located outside of the cylinder. Extending from each of the valves 32 and 33 is a linger 34 and pivotally connected to these fingers is a connecting rod 35. This rod slides within a lug 36 extending from the cylinder 1 and provided with a knife edge 37. A leaf spring 38 is secured to and moves with the rod 35 and extends over the knife edge, this being provided with a downwardly exten ed V-shaped portion 39. The parts are so proportionedthat when this V-shaped portion is located at thel right of the lug 36 the valves 32 and 28 will be held on'their seats while the valves 27 and 33`willbe unseated. When the V- shaped portion 39 is positioned at the other side of the knife edge, the sitlons of the valves will be reversed, va ves 33 and 27 being seated while valves 32 and 28 -are unvseated. y

Secured to each of the levers 26 is a leaf secured to each lever and in path of the free end of theleaf spring thereon is a coiled spring 41, the two springs j 40 and 41 being normally spaced apart.

against spring 40 and flex it against spring cylinder having inlet and outlet When the pi e 25 is connected to a vacuum tank or the le the following action will take lace, assuming that the parts are positioneg as shown in Figure 2: The air will 'be sucked through the open port 22 and cause the master piston 2 to move toward said port. During this action air will be admitted through the port 31 back of the master iston 2. The suction upon the valve 32 urin the exhausting o air through port 22 wi hold said valve seated, this seating being supplemented by the action of the spring 38 on the knife edge37. As the piston 2 approaches the limit of its stroke 1t will come 41.' This latter spring will: likewise be placedunder compression until the stored 32 thereon while the other energy is sucient to overcome the spring 38. Immediately thereafter the springs 40 and 41 will snap the tl-shaped portion 39 of s ring 38 past the knife edge 37 and seat tllie valve 2 while valve 32 will be opened. Motion will at the same time be transmitted through rod 35 to valves 33'and 28 so that sequently be4 expelled through port 11 and pipe 15 into the cylinder 9 where it will be compressed behind the receding piston 7. On the next stroke of the pistons a new supply of air will be sucked into cylinder 8 by pistion 6 while the air held under pressure in cylinder 9 will be expelled by piston 7 Thus by the use of high and low pressure cylinders the eiciency of the pump is increased to the maximum and a pressure much higher than I atmospheric pressure can be obtained within the tire orother container be` iniiated. A suitable cover 42 can be place over the cylinder 1 and can be provided with projecting end flanges 43 around which the tube 21 can be wrapped when not in use.Y

Itwill be lnoted that spring ating with the knife edge 37 constitutes an eilicient means for preventing the valves .from fluttering. Consequently they will be held firmly to their seats until unseated by the master piston in the manner e lained.

The term vacuum as herein is not intended to-mean a complete vacuum, but applies to any area ratified by the suction or withdrawal of air therefrom.

What is claimed isz- 1. In avacuum operated e ethe combi nation with acylinderha inlet and outlet ports, of a piston mounted or reciprocation wlthin the c linder, members mounted for movement a jacent each limit of the stroke of the piston, a -pair of valves carried by each member for alternately closing the respective inlet and outlet ports adjacent thereto, a connection between the members for insurrng simultaneous movement thereof, cooperating means upon said connection and the cylinder for holding the members yieldingly in either of two extreme positions, the outlets of the cylinderl being in communication ,with a vacuum, and yielding means on the members for engagement by the piston to actuate the membe 38 by cooperi 2. A vacuum operated engine including a y andere supported valves for successively closing the ports in each head, a connection between all ofthe valves to insure simultaneous movement thereof, cooperating iixed and yielding means for holdlng all of the valves in either of their extreme positions, a piston within the cylinder and resilient means for transmitting motion therefrom to the valves. y

3. A vacuum operated engine including a c linder havin inlet and outlet orts in eac head thereo the outlet ports eilig in communication with a vacuum, movably supported Valves for successively closing the ports in each head, a connection between all of the valves to insure simultaneous movement thereof, yielding means for holding all of the valves rigidly 'in either of their extreme positions, a piston within the. cylinder, and yielding means operated by the piston for gradually overcoming the resistance of the holding means and abruptly shifting all the valves simultaneously oin one extreme position to the other.

4. A vacuum operated engine including a cylinder having inlet and outlet rts in each head thereof, the outlet ports in communication with a vacuum, mdlvlgbly supported valves for successively closing the ports in each. head, a connection between all of the valves to insure simultaneous movementsthereof, coo eratin in means for h o ding a of the valves in eit er of their extreme positions, a piston within the cylinder, and resilient means engaged by the piston during the completion of each of its strokes for transmitting thrust to the valves thereby' to abruptly `release them from their holding means and shift 'them to their other extreme position.

In `testimony that I claim the foregoing as my' own, I have hereto axed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

y JOHN B. WHITTED.

Witnesses: y 4

'Ivy E. SmsoN, Annes Rocxnnm.

fixed and yieldt 

